Game On

Just as Star Wars wouldnt have been complete without the music of John Williams, the stirring, grandiose work of Nobuo Uematsu has helped to elevate the Final Fantasy series to a legendary gaming experience. Now gamers and music lovers alike can experience Uematsus music live, on stage, performed with a full orchestra and chorus, accompanied by animation taken directly from the games when Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy comes to Denver. This is the first time weve ever done anything like this, with any kind of game thing, explains Ken Street, vice president of sales and marketing for the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Theyre very popular in other places, the idea of combining this kind of symphonic music with the artwork from the game.

The program includes a selection of some of the most popular and exciting themes from the Final Fantasy franchise, a series famed for its art, music and epic scope. Conducted by Arnie Roth and performed by the CSO, this is the first time the music of Final Fantasy has been performed live in Colorado. And while this music has long been a favorite of fans of the series, you dont have to know which end of a controller is up to enjoy the music. The music is fantastic. From my understanding, it was one of the first full-orchestra with chorus pieces put together for video games, so the music stands alone, on its own, Street says. I think its for people who love music. And for people who love games, its perfect.

Catch it at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 8 at the Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Complex, 950 13th Street. Tickets start at $24.25 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or from the CSO box office, online at www.coloradosymphony.org or by phone at 303-623-7876. For more information, visit the CSO website and www.ffdistantworlds.com.
Wed., Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m., 2008